This collection investigates the architecture of focus in linguistic theory from different theoretical perspectives. Research on focus and information structure in the last four decades has shown that the phenomenon of focus is highly complex, the theoretical approaches manifold, and the data highly sensitive. The main emphasis has been placed on the integration of the notion of focus in generative grammar. In recent years, however, the approaches to focus and information structure underwent a radical change in perspective.

The theoretical concept of focus, its related terms and phenomena became the object of research. Along with it, the research questions shifted: instead of locating focus in the architecture of grammar, linguists investigate the architecture of focus itself. The central underlying idea of this collection is to document this change in perspective with the aim of isolating essential keystones and research areas in both the theoretical and empirical domain. The book is structured accordingly. Following the introduction, there are four main sections: The general section discusses the theoretical foundations of focus within grammar. The second section hosts papers which investigate the representation of focus and topic at the syntax-pragmatics interface. The third section discusses the phonological representation of focus and its relation to meaning. The papers of the final section investigate different types of focus constructions in a variety languages. The collection of papers on the architecture of focus, its interpretation and representation mirror the establishment of the focus research field.

Contents

Exploring the architecture of focus in grammar Susanne Winkler and Valeria Molnar

Part 1: Theoretical foundations of focus and information structure

On the Architecture of topic and focus Nomi Erteschik-Shir

Topic, focus and the structural dynamics of language Ruth Kempson, Ronny Cann, Jieun Kiaer

On the (in)dependence relation between syntax and pragmatics Joao Costa and Maria Cristina Figueiredo Silva

Association with focus phrases Manfred Krifka

Focus as identification István Kenesei

Focussing as predication Katalin É Kiss

Part 2: The representation of focus, topic and contrast at the syntax-pragmatics interface

On different kinds of contrast Valeria Molnar

Contrast and movement to the German prefield Werner Frey

Noncanonical negation and information structure in Finnish Elsi Kaiser

Double Negation and information structure: Somewhere between topic and focus Genoveva Puskas

Part 3: The phonological representation of focus, topic and contrast and its relation to meaning

Focus projection and default prominence Daniel Büring

Focus on contrast and emphasis: Evidence from prosody Nicole Richter and Grit Mehlhorn

Topic-focus controversies Nancy Hedberg

Part 4: Focus-related constructions in different languages

Ellipsis at the interfaces: An information-structural proposal Susanne Winkler

Elliptical dass-clauses in German Kerstin Schwabe

On the discourse impact of subordinate clauses André Meinunger

The influence of operators on the interpretation of DPs and PPs in German information structure Anita Steube

Clefts in English and Norwegian: Implications for the grammar-pragmatics interface Jeanette K. Gundel

The complex functions of it-clefts Stefan Huber

Focus constructions in Hausa Katharina Hartmann